20041010023459A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Aerstr SP I · Albuquerque, NM · October 10, 2004

Date: October 10, 2004 · 08:35 local
Place: Albuquerque, NM
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N87SB
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN05CA006
Reported as: Aerstr SPI
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,148 total450 in this make and model25 in the last 90 days

N87SBRegistered now · Aerostar International SP IS/N SPI-3001 · Built 1993 Airframe modelAerostar International SP I Engine modelNONENone

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) On October 10, 2004, at 0835 MDT, an Aerostar sp-i balloon, N87SB, registered to friends of smokey bear balloon, collided with a radio transmission tower while in cruise flight at Albuquerque, new Mexico, while participating in the Albuquerque international balloon fiesta. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot and two passengers were unharmed. The flight originated at the Albuquerque international balloon fiesta field, Albuquerque, new Mexico, on October 10, 2004, at 0730 MDT.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON OCTOBER 10, 2004, AT 0835 MDT, AN AEROSTAR SP-I BALLOON, N87SB, REGISTERED TO FRIENDS OF SMOKEY BEAR BALLOON, COLLIDED WITH A RADIO TRANSMISSION TOWER WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, WHILE PARTICIPATING IN THE ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIESTA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE UNHARMED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIESTA FIELD, ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, ON OCTOBER 10, 2004, AT 0730 MDT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB DEN05CA006Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportAlbuquerque, NMthe pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the radio tower. Contributing factors were the pilot's improper compensation for the variable wind conditions.Oct 10, 2004 · Destroyed